


The Best Start

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Following
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-25
Packaged: 2017-12-21 08:25:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/898105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Debra and Mike reflect on mothers and children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Start

**Author's Note:**

> For the middle square (a sleeping baby) on my Love Bingo card

When he sees a familiar dark head of curls sitting on a bench, Mike fights back a sigh of relief and slides his phone back into his pocket. Jogging over to them, he slows his gait as he gets closer, not wanting to appear too concerned - he's a lot better than he used to be about not having to know where she is every minute of the day, and he doesn't want her to think he's sliding back into old habits. 

"Hey," he says, sliding onto the bench beside her. "How are my two favourite girls?"

Leaning forward, he brushes his lips over Debra's, enjoys how hers turn up in a smile against his. "We're fine," Debra says but he reaches over anyway, pulls the coverlet of the pram down just enough so he can see the baby within. She's sound asleep, round cheeks flushed pink, lips pursed in a way that never fails to make Mike chuckle. "Sorry if I worried you... I would have waited for you but she wouldn't settle... I figured some fresh air might help."

He should have known she'd see right through him, and while he'd known the park is a bare two blocks from his parents' house, he'd still walked here in double quick time. "I just thought you'd finally had enough of my mom and you'd started to walk back to DC," he quips. 

She shakes her head with a fond smile. "Your mom is great," she tells him, and he knows she means it. Just like he also knows something else and he lifts one eyebrow, waits for her to admit it. A moment later, she gives in. "But it's nice to have some space."

He's been expecting her to say something like that, because while Debra and his mom get along great, this is the most time they've ever spent together in the closest quarters. His mom, it must be said, loves Debra, but her love for Riley is another thing all together - she raised four boys, is a grandmother to three more and when Mike had called her after the twenty week sonogram to tell her they were having a girl, she'd actually cried down the phone. The first pink parcel had arrived three days later; they'd been coming ever since, and when Mike had arrived home from the store that day, he hadn't been surprised to see that Debra wasn't there, but was shocked to find that his mom had let Riley out of her arms long enough to let Debra take her for a walk. 

"I'll have a word," he says and she looks like she's going to object but his eyes fall on the small sketch pad on her knees and he picks it up, looks at it before she can say anything. 

The sketch is of an older woman, mid-forties Mike guesses, with shrewd eyes and light, curly hair. Mike doesn't know her, has never met her and Debra hasn't drawn her since she started sketching again, just over a year ago now. Mike looks up at Debra, ready to ask who it is but when he sees the look on Debra's face, he knows. 

"This is your mom."

She nods slowly, swallows hard. Reaching over, he takes her hand in his, squeezes it gently. "You want to talk?"

Debra sighs, looks up at the blue sky. "I've been thinking about her a lot... especially since Riley was born."

"I know you've always missed her." Which, after what she did, is something Mike can't quite understand, but he accepts that his lack of understanding doesn't matter. It's not about him. 

"I have." Debra smudges a lock of hair in the sketch with her little finger, brow creased in concentration. When she's satisfied, she takes one last look, closes the book. "But when I look at Riley...when I think about how much I love her... what I'd do to anyone who hurt her..." Her voice chokes and Mike squeezes her hand again. She swallows, takes a deep breath, continues. "I've studied cults my whole life... and I know people think it's because I want to help stop people going through what I went through, but it's not that. Not just that."

Mike nods, because he was probably the only person who'd never thought that. "You wanted to understand," he says quietly.

"And I thought I did." Debra's eyes are bright with tears. "For years, I thought I did. And then they handed me Riley and I realised I didn't have a clue... moms are supposed to protect their kids..." 

A single tear slips down her cheek and Mike can't stand to see her cry, never could. Putting his arm around her, he pulls her close, kisses the top of her head as she buries her face in his neck. 

He holds her as she cries, whispers soothing words as he rubs circles on her back. He waits until there are no more tears left and she straightens up, then he cups her face in his hands, dries the tracks of her tears with the pads of his thumbs. 

"Your mom loved you, Deb," he tells her quietly. "It just got twisted in the cult..."

She's said those words to him, many times, and to complete the role reversal, this time it's she who shakes her head. "How? How does that happen? How do you forget what this love feels like?"

Mike has no answer for that but he's saved from having to give one by a squall from the pram. Debra is still wiping her eyes so he's the one who moves, scoops up Riley and holds her close. "I think someone knew Mommy needed a cuddle," he says as he sits back down, handing the baby to Debra. 

Cradling her close to her chest, Debra leans forward, kisses the top of the baby's head and a lump rises in Mike's throat - three months later and he still falls a little more in love with Debra every time he sees her with their daughter. Reaching out one finger, he touches Riley's hand and she wraps her fingers around his, holds on tight. 

"Maybe it's ok that you don't understand," he tries, because goodness knows, he's had to make his peace with the spectre of her parents and what they'd done. "That you can't. Because, Deb, I see you with Riley every day - I know there's nothing you wouldn't do for her. And she's gonna know that too." Debra looks up at him, eyes once more bright and he tells her, "You're an amazing mom... our kids are blessed."

She smiles, finally, leans forward and kisses him. When she pulls back, she looks at him again, lifts an eyebrow. "Kids?" she asks, her smile knowing and he shrugs. 

"I always wanted a football team," he jokes and she leans into him, rests her head against his shoulder. Between them, Riley coos, reaching up for Debra's hair, then a handful of Mike's jacket. "But this little one's the best start."


End file.
